What stands out worked out from the figures below

Searsmont has the highest household income ($87k).

Weld has the oldest population (median age 64).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Searsmont	Weld
People
Population	1,646Highest	459Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.6% ME: +2.6%	—
Median age	44.5±9.8Lowest about the ME average	64±6.7Highest 43% above ME
Kids under 18	13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1%	17.9%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1%
	Weld and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4%	44.4%±12.4Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31.6%Lowest ME: 36.2%	42.1%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8%	1.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Searsmont and Weld are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$87,000±$20kHighest 16% above ME	$62,083±$11kLowest 17% below ME
	Searsmont and Weld are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$284,000±$31kHighest 4% below ME	$268,600±$17kLowest 9% below ME
	Searsmont and Weld are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$940±$311 17% below ME	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,788Highest 8% below ME	$1,308Lowest 57% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.4%±41.3Highest ME: 48.4%	0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Searsmont and Weld are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.6%Highest ME: 10.7%	6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.6%Lowest ME: 74.3%	93.7%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME	1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest about the ME average	30 minHighest 21% above ME
Work from home	16.3%±10.1Highest ME: 15.9%	15.6%±8.4Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Searsmont and Weld are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	RSU 71	—
High school in town	None in town	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.